Hyundai’s Venue-Sized Bayon Could Get A 140-HP Hybrid America Won’t

If you’ve never heard of the Hyundai Bayon, blame geography. One of Seoul’s smallest crossovers stays off North American shores, built instead for Europe, India and Middle Eastern markets where compact dimensions and cheap running costs rule the roost.

At 4,180 mm (164.6 inches) long, the current model is 140mm (5.5 inches) longer than the Venue that Hyundai already sells in the States, so the two occupy nearly the same patch of pavement despite serving different continents.

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Launched in 2021 and recently updated in 2024, the Bayon sits below the Kona in Hyundai’s portfolio. Its replacement has been spied testing over recent months, meaning the current model is living on borrowed time. A boxier, more upscale look could prime it for markets around the world, so let’s dive into everything we know about it.

An Angular Nugget

This writer’s illustration depicts the next Bayon as a traditional CUV rather than a lifted hatchback. The dimensions remain city-friendly, yet the overall shape has gone boxy, angular and upright. A full-width LED lightbar and vertically stacked headlamps dominate the front, while a strong emphasis on horizontal lines helps cement a sense of width.

It gains an upright greenhouse with blacked-out A-pillars, a flatter roofline, and scalloped front and rear fenders with black wheelarch cladding. The rear lighting mirrors the front, with slim, full-width LED strips framed by vertical elements at each corner. A more upright tailgate features, helping increase rear trunk volume.

Interior Smarts

Inside, we expect it to sport a curved panoramic display housing dual 12.3-inch screens (with physical hard buttons) for the instrument cluster and infotainment display. We’re unsure if it will run Hyundai’s latest Pleos Connect operating architecture, but it will likely support wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, over-the-air updates and other connected services.

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Other earmarked goodies include a heads-up display, nicer plastics, wireless smartphone charging, ambient lighting, digital key entry and a suite of Level-2 semi-autonomous driver assists. Most cabin dimensions grow, most notably head and knee room.

The Fundamentals

Prototype of the 2027 Hyundai Bayon (Photos Baldauf).

Rather than a clean-sheet redesign, the Bayon is tipped to use an updated version of Hyundai’s K-platform architecture. Improved structural rigidity should help it achieve a higher rating than the current car’s 2021-rated 4-star Euro NCAP rating.

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Don’t expect magic in the ride department, with a continuation of MacPherson struts up front and a torsion-beam rear axle. However, it should be more refined and be a sharper steer.

Electric Assist 

Currently, the Bayon employs a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine making a mere 99 hp (73 kW). Reports indicate a new 1.2-litre turbo four will debut, equipped with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to meet tightening European emissions regulations.

Borrowing technology from Hyundai’s larger offerings, a full hybrid is also on the cards. This setup is tipped to generate around 140 hp (103 kW) in ‘N-Line’ guise, sending power to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Rivals And Reveal

So what is the Bayon up against? Plenty. The B-segment class is one of the most contested corners of the European market, and the Bayon lands in the thick of it. Closest to home is Hyundai’s own i20, which complicates the family hierarchy before the fight even reaches outside the brand. From there the list runs long: the Suzuki Fronx, Toyota Yaris Cross, Renault Captur, Peugeot 2008, Skoda Kamiq, Opel Mokka and Ford Puma, the last of which has spent years as the segment’s best-seller and sets the bar the Bayon has to clear.

An official reveal is expected by year-end, with sales starting in early 2027. Should the Bayon come stateside? Share your thoughts in the comments below.